Erie police apprehend 1 of 3 suspects in home-invasion robbery

Online Extras

MORE ON CRIME: To see more coverage of crime in the Erie area, including Erie County’s Most Wanted and a map of incidents in Erie and Millcreek Township, click here.

MORE ONLINE: To read more stories and see videos about local gun violence, and to view a database of criminal reports in your neighborhood, click here.

This is an undated contributed photo of Kim J. Sparks, 28, who is wanted on charges of burglary, robbery, criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person, unlawful restraint, terroristic threats, possessing an instrument of a crime theft and receiving stolen property. CONTRIBUTED/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

Erie police said a 1-year-old girl was held by her chest and had a handgun pressed to her head and her rib cage as three armed men demanded money and "weed" after forcing their way into an eastside residence on Wednesday.

One of the suspects, Kim J. Sparks Jr., 28, was apprehended in Erie early Friday afternoon. The other two have not been identified Friday, according to investigators.

The young girl, a 10-year-old boy, and a man and a woman who were the victims of the home-invasion robbery were not reported injured in the incident, which happened at a residence in the 100 block of East 24th Street on Wednesday at about 8 p.m.

Police said the boy went to answer a knock at the door on Wednesday night when the three suspects pushed their way into the house. One of the suspects acted as a lookout as the other suspects confronted the man, asked if he had a "problem" with someone and then said, "Now you got a problem with us," according to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the criminal charges against Sparks.

Police said the man was told to sit in a chair, the woman was detained in the dining room, and the boy was ordered into the dining room after the suspects told him not to take the baby upstairs, according to the criminal complaint filed by Detectives Michael Suchy and Jason Belton.

One of the suspects then picked up the girl and held a gun to her while saying, "I'm not playing," according to the complaint.

The man was robbed of a billfold containing $130, credit cards and identification. The suspects put the infant down and backed out of the house after getting the billfoldthen fled in a four-door sedan, possibly a Lincoln, police said.

The victims later identified Sparks as one of the suspects. An arrest warrant was issued for him on Thursday on charges of robbery, conspiracy, burglary, possessing an instrument of crime, theft and receiving stolen property.

Police also charged Sparks with four counts each of recklessly endangering, unlawful restraint and terroristic threats.

Sparks, of the 100 block of East 24th Street, was arraigned Friday before Erie 4th Ward District Judge Tom Robie and placed in Erie County Prison on $150,000 bond.

TIM HAHN can be reached at 870-1731 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.

Online Extras

MORE ON CRIME: To see more coverage of crime in the Erie area, including Erie County’s Most Wanted and a map of incidents in Erie and Millcreek Township, click here.

MORE ONLINE: To read more stories and see videos about local gun violence, and to view a database of criminal reports in your neighborhood, click here.